Netflix Never Have I Ever star opens up on 'leap of faith' for Disney+'s crime comedy
Poorna Jagannathan is best known for playing Nalini Vishwakumar in Netflix's hit comedy-drama Never Have I Ever
Poorna Jagannathan, known for her role as the loving Nalini Vishwakumar in Netflix's smash series Never Have I Ever, has joined the cast of Disney+ and Hulu's new crime-comedy Deli Boys.
Her decision to sign on was clinched after reading just the first episode—even though her character only pops up at the very end.
The actress swaps her previous warm-hearted role for Lucky, a character in Abdullah Saeed's darkly humorous creation.
Described as a menacingly efficient aunt, Lucky schools her nephews, Mir (played by Asif Ali) and Raj Dar (Saagar Shaikh), in taking charge of their father's hidden underworld business following his unexpected demise.
In an interview with Express Online, Jagannathan shared her excitement: "When I read the pilot - because we usually just get one script and you have to make so many assumptions and you take such a leap of faith off of one script - but my character was so funny and so fantastic in the pilot. But she only comes in at the end.
"The script just hung together with a tension. What I love about comedy is when there's a beautiful and intimate and heartfelt moment - then there's a bullet to the head right after."
Jagannathan praised the show's ability to sustain a gripping narrative, adding: "Just the sweet tension, it's so unexpected. The script does that, holds that tension the entire time. So I love the dark, absurd comedy that Abdullah had written", reports the Express.
Jagannathan made a powerful debut as a character not to be trifled with in the first episode of the new season that dropped yesterday (Thursday, 6th March). Despite her initial scene merely hinting at what's to unfold for her character Lucky throughout the series, the star of Never Have I Ever was eager to take on the role and explore its depth as the show progresses.
"And, of course, this character... when I read the pilot I had no idea the trajectory this character would take," she said. Lucky's complex nature captivated Jagannathan: one moment nurturing and caring, and the next ruthless.
"But she's that duality, she's nurturing and lovely and loving and feeds the boys in one scene and then has killed 10 people before she's had her morning coffee!"
"It's just this beautiful tightrope that she walks and the script works so I was drawn to the comedy and I was drawn to the fact that I get the opportunity to play a character that is so over the top fierce. A character that's so over the top but also my aim was, 'How do you keep this character still grounded and relatable and in this world?'"
The main cast, including Brian George as Uncle Ahmad and Alfie Fuller as the shaman Prairie, felt an instant bond, contributing to the dynamic ensemble.
"It was instant chemistry between the five of us in the main cast," she mentioned, also praising the extraordinary recurring and guest stars.
The series boasts appearances from a host of stars, including Queer Eye's very own Tan France, funnyman Tim Baltz, Sakina Jaffrey and Iqbal Theba. "We had the remarkable honour of it feeling like the best set on Earth every single day," she gushed.
"All of us always came together, no matter if it was just the three of us, the five of us or tons of us, like the wedding scene. We just always want to hang out together."
Fans are keeping their fingers crossed that Deli Boys' fabulous first season will be a hit, bringing the chaotic Dar family back for another round of drama.
Deli Boys is available to stream on Disney+.